New Diabetes Resource for Latinos

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For those living with it or have members of their family that have the disease, understanding diabetes is important because it can cause serious, life-threatening complications if goes uncontrolled; however, diabetes is also a disease that allows people to live a “normal” life if it is managed well.

The National Diabetes Statistics Report determined that nearly 30 million Americans have diabetes, which means that nearly every tenth person is affected by the disease. Studies have also proven that it is the seventh leading cause of death; those who do not die directly from diabetes may find that their life expectancy has been reduced by several years.

According to several national surveys, Latinos are nearly twice as likely as non-Hispanic whites to be diagnosed with diabetes by a physician. Latinos with diabetes have higher rates of end-stage renal disease and are 40% more likely to die from diabetes than non-Hispanic whites.

The ACLS Training Center has compiled a new library of resources regarding diabetes. The library “indexes” all facets of the disease, including explaining what diabetes is, its symptoms, what the risk and health factors are, the management and treatment of diabetes, and coping with the illness.

Latino adults are 1.7 times more likely than white adults to have been diagnosed with diabetes by a physician, and in 2010, Latinos were more likely to begin treatment for end-stage renal disease (related to diabetes) than whites. Latino women were also 1.5 times more likely to die from diabetes related complications than white women.

Diabetes is on the rise despite the billions of dollars that are spent every year on related healthcare and treatments. The library points out that diabetes symptoms, for both type 1 and 2, include unexplained weight loss, excessive thirst and hunger, tiredness, blurred vision, increased urination, infections, and slow-healing bruises or cuts.

People who are overweight or obese are more prone to developing type 2 diabetes. Losing weight through a healthy diet and sufficient exercise can significantly reduce this risk. Family history and ethnicity are types of risk factors that cannot be controlled but individuals can reduce their overall risk of diabetes by maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Read more from the ACLS Training Center’s diabetes library here.

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